Vamp for a sport shoe

ABSTRACT

A vamp for a sport shoe has at least one elastic area and at least one non-elastic area. These areas are made of different plastic components to have different elasticity. Preferably, the vamp further has multiple grooves defined on the vamp to provide proper friction for ball control. The elastic area is attached to a front section of the sport shoe. By modifying the vamp to have the elastic area serve as a kicking (front) section of the sport shoe, a player can kick the soccer ball farther with the sport shoe having the vamp in the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vamp for a sport shoe, and more particularly to a vamp that has at least two areas with different elasticity.

2. Description of Related Art

A professional sport shoe such as a soccer shoe or boot has to have basic and fundamental characteristics, not just to allow a player to feel comfortable but also to the boot's configuration that will provide optimum results when participating in a particular sport. For example, a soccer player needs to kick a soccer ball farther or control the ball by keeping it tight on the foot when dribbling. Therefore, the vamp of the soccer shoe is important and can improve a player's ability to dribble or kick the ball based on the characteristics of the vamp that make direct contact with the ball. However, varying the characteristics of the vamp to optimize the shoe for dribbling or kicking is detrimental to the other capability. Manufacturers still look for the way to create a possible vamp having different characteristics without jeopardizing the other capability.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional sport shoe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a vamp for sport shoe that has at least two areas having different elasticity.

To achieve the foregoing main objective, the vamp comprises at least one elastic area and at least one non-elastic area. These areas are made of different plastic materials to have different elasticity. Preferably, the vamp further has multiple grooves defined in the vamp to provide proper friction for ball control. The elastic area is mounted on a front section of the sport shoe.

By modifying the vamp to have an elastic area to serve as a kicking (front) section of the sport shoe, a player can kick balls farther.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate references to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sport shoe with a vamp in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sport shoe and the vamp in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A vamp for a sport shoe in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one elastic area and at least one non-elastic area. These areas are made of different plastic components and have different elasticity. Preferably, the vamp further has multiple grooves defined on the vamp to provide proper friction for ball control. The elastic area is on a front section of the sport shoe. By modifying the vamp to have the elastic area serve as a kicking (front) section of the sport shoe, a player can kick balls farther by wearing the sport shoe having the vamp.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of the vamp (10) in the present invention is on a front section (22) of a sport shoe (20) and is a one-pieced fan sheet with a top face, a bottom face, an inner edge, an outer edge and two sides. Thereby, the vamp (10) corresponds to curved surfaces of the front section (22) and snugly attaches to the sport shoe (20). The vamp (10) has a cutout (12), an elastic area (14), two non-elastic areas (16), multiple optional grooves (18) and multiple optional holes (182). The cutout (12) is defined at the inner edge to provide space for a tongue on the sport shoe (20). The elastic area (14) is formed in front of the cutout (12) from the inner edge to the outer edge so that the two non-elastic areas (16) are respectively located beside the elastic area (14). The two non-elastic areas (16) and the elastic area (14) are made of plastic material and integrally combined with each other by thermal molding. Particularly, the two non-elastic areas (16) and the elastic area (14) are selectively made of different plastic materials or of the same plastic material with different additives to make these areas (14, 16) have different elasticity.

The multiple grooves (18) are defined on the top face of the vamp (10), extend from the inner edge to the outer edge over the vamp (10) substantially in parallel with the two sides. The multiple grooves (18) reduce the total weight of the vamp (10) and provide proper friction for ball handling when the ball contacts the vamp (10). Each groove (18) has a bottom, and the multiple holes (182) are defined in the bottom to ventilate the sport shoe (20) at the front section (22).

The plastic material for making the vamp (10) is preferably selected from the group consisting of polyurethane (PU) or ethylvinyl acetate (EVA) that is regulated in different compositions to possess different density, hardness elasticity characteristics and even colors.

Characteristics of the vamp for a sport shoe in the present invention have the following advantages.

-   -   1. The elastic area (14) of the vamp (10) provides an excellent         rebound force to the ball so that the player can kick the ball         farther.     -   2. The vamp (10) mounted on the sport shoe (20) can be formed in         different shapes and colors to decorate the sport shoe (20).     -   3. The vamp (10) also has adequate friction to make dribbling         easier because of the grooves (18). Therefore, a player wearing         the sport shoe (20) can control the ball nicely and easily.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A vamp for a sport shoe comprising: at least one elastic area (14); and at least one non-elastic area (16) integrally connected to the at least one elastic area (14).
 2. The vamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vamp is made of plastic material, shaped into a fan sheet with a top face, an inner edge, an outer edge and two sides, and having a cutout (12) defined at the inner edge; one elastic area (14) formed in front of the cutout (12) from the inner edge to the outer edge; and two non-elastic areas (16) formed respectively beside the elastic area (14).
 3. The vamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vamp further has multiple grooves (18) defined in the vamp (10), wherein each groove (18) has a bottom; and multiple holes (182) defined in the bottom of each groove (18).
 4. The vamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vamp further has multiple grooves (18) defined in the top face of the vamp (10) and extending from the inner edge to the outer edge over the vamp (10) in substantial parallel with the two sides, each groove (18) has a bottom; and multiple holes (182) defined in the bottom of each groove (18). 